The Secret River | Little Penguins | The Politics of Song

If you are having trouble viewing this newsletter, please try the online version at the ABC Radio National website Thursday 31 January 2013 Have you visited the Radio National website recently? Our front page is a direct route to our best and most thought provoking content, in-depth articles on current topics such as this Breakfast story and you can preview audio bites via our new embedded ABC_RN Soundcloud clips. You will also find a complete guide to what's coming up. This week on RN: The Media Report predicts the demise of the local newsagent, Body Sphere gets personal with 1% of the human population, Background Briefing takes a tour of the infamous Highway 1 and Off Track's Joel Werner hangs out with some little penguins. Coming Up Media Report: Your Local Newsagent Newsagent blogger Mark Fletcher predicts that in two or three years approximately one quarter of Australia's newsagencies will have disappeared. With digital magazines on handheld devices, Coles and Woolworths are moving to dominate the magazine retail business, so is there much of a future for the local newsagent? Thursday 31 Jan 5.30pm, repeated Friday 1 Feb 5.30am Background Briefing: Highway 1 The lifeblood of hundreds of east coast towns, Highway 1 is also the nation's longest cemetery with hundreds killed on the road each year as promised upgrades are continually delayed. James Woodford drove from far north Queensland to southern NSW, charting life, death and broken promises along the way. Sunday 3 Feb 8am, repeated Tuesday 5 Feb 2pm Off Track: Little Penguins Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor ), sometimes known as the Fairy Penguin, is the smallest of all penguin species. On this week's Off Track, biologist and penguin expert Martin Fortescue takes Joel on an exploration of the Bowen Island colony Saturday 2 Feb 1.30pm, repeated Sunday 3 Feb 6.30am Into The Music: Get Up Stand Up—The Politics of Song Songwriters often ignite the spirit of and create the soundtracks for generations of change-makers. But do political songs drive change or do they just document the times in which they're written? Shellie Morris, Chris Bailey (The Saints) and Tim Levinson (Urthboy/The Herd) gathered at the Woodford Festival to discuss these ideas. Saturday 2 Feb 4pm, repeated Monday 4 Feb 9pm Body Sphere: A Question of Colour What do these people have in common: Napoleon, Van Gogh, Prince Harry and Julia Gillard? They're all redheads! Redheads comprise approximately 1% of the world's population. It's the rarest human hair colour and also the most maligned. Is making fun of redheads one of the last acceptable forms of discrimination? Sunday 3 Feb at 5pm, repeated Monday 4 Feb at 1pm Most Popular Breakfast: Bursting Point for Queensland Mines The flooding rain from ex-cyclone Oswald has created a major problem for Queensland's mining industry. Now the LNP is authorising BHP to release water into local rivers from four of its major sites. Community and environmental groups say the plan has no scientific grounding and is a disaster in progress. Follow the link for a full written analysis and the usual RN audio. RN Drive: The Drawing Room—Cirque du Soleil Cirque du Soleil has become the world's most famous circus, with 19 shows currently in production around the globe. One of those productions, OVO, is currently touring Australia, and RN Drive spoke to the Assistant Artistic Director and one of the production's lead performers in the midst of the training tent. Books and Arts Daily: The Secret River On stage for the first time, this seminal Australian novel is wowing  audiences and critics alike, with many describing this production as the landmark theatre event of the year. Telling the story of Australian race relations it illustrates the choices made by our forebears. Michael Cathcart meets the play's creators. Life Matters: Eco Anxiety Increasing cyclones, floods, bush fires and heatwaves—are they making you feeling anxious? Do you feel something fundamental has irreparably changed? Perhaps an environmental psychologist could be of assistance. Life Matters reports on how environmental psychology, while around for decades, is recently adjusting itself in the face of climate change. Counterpoint: The Ponzi Scheme Puzzle If a trusted somebody told you that if you invested $100 for six months the return would be $1,000, would you do it? Over the last century hundreds of people—including a US President—have, and lost their money. Amanda Vanstone asks how do these con artists get away with it and why do people keep giving them money? News, Competitions and Events NGV Melbourne Now Join some of your favourite RN's presenters each Sunday during February at the National Gallery of Victoria, as they chat with Melbournians about the latest art, design, fashion, architecture, music and film in Melbourne. Starting this Sunday 3 February with Amanda Smith. Inside Sleeve Live Studio Gig Tune in to Inside Sleeve with Robbie Buck at 3pm today, or follow @RadioNational on Twitter for details on how you could be one of the lucky 10 guests to attend an intimate Sydney studio gig with Sarah Blasko! Bush Telegraph Live Broadcast from Heywire  Bush Telegraph will broadcast live from the Heywire Regional Youth Summit at Canberra's Parliament House on Wednesday 6 February, 2013. The 2013 Young Australian of the Year, Akram Azimi joins Presenter Cameron Wilson and a panel of Heywire winners for a lively discussion on the issues that matter to youth in remote, rural and regional areas. Visit this link for more info on Heywire, and join us live on RN from 11 am on 6 February. Spread the Word Did you find this information interesting? If so, please forward this email to your friends and family. Use the Subscribe , Facebook , and Twitter links to join the conversation. Choose the time you listen There's never been more ways to engage with RN's refreshed programming and great mix of new and established voices. Connect at abc.net.au/radionational for podcasts , live streams , transcripts , special features , and much more. If you want to stay mobile, download the ABC App here or tune in through digital radio . 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